Cosmetic Surgery and Surgical Malpractice

Cosmetic surgery is on the rise. In 2007, there were 11.7 million cosmetic surgeries performed according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. In every form of media there are plastic surgeons offering their services to make your dreams come true. The problem is, sometimes those aspirations turn into nightmares. Along with the huge growth in elective cosmetic surgery procedures comes an increase in medical malpractice. Cosmetic surgery is not usually covered by health plans and, therefore, is relatively free from restrictions and regulatory governance. Many health care professionals, doctors and nurses, who do not have specialized training in cosmetic surgery are performing procedures in their offices without emergency care facilities available. A doctor who accepts a patient implies he or she has the appropriate specialized training and is competent to perform the requested procedure. A plastic surgeon has an obligation to discuss all possible risks associated with the procedure the patient is to undergo prior to the actual surgery. Unfortunately, all forms of cosmetic surgery carry risk whether the procedure is invasive or non-invasive and all of those risks have to be explained to the patient. The chart below provides an overview of various procedures and complications associated with them.













Cosmetic Procedure or Surgery










Possible Complications













Breast Augmentation






· Wrong size
· Nerve damage
· Infection
· Encapsulation
· Asymmetry
· Excessive scarring












Breast Reduction






· Nipple loss
· Breast skin cover loss
· Asymmetry
· Disfigurement












Liposuction






· Disfigurement
· Numbness
· Abdominal perforations
· Internal bleeding
· Deep Vein Thrombosis
· Pulmonary Embolism
· Organ penetration












Face lift






· Excessive scarring
· Nerve damage
· Excessive dry eyes
· Inability to close eyes
· Excessive skin removal












Nose






· Asymmetry
· Breath difficulties






Abdominoplasty






· Skin Loss
· Excessive scarring
· Nerve damage
· Skin resurfacing complications
· Blistering
· Burns
· Post-surgical infection
· Permanent skin discoloration



General risks associated with all types of cosmetic surgery are anesthesia errors, medication reactions, post-operative mismanagement, use of before and after photographs without consent and sexual misconduct. As is the case with every surgical procedure, death is also an associated risk from complications that could result from adverse consequences. The physical evidence of cosmetic surgery errors may be visible especially for eyelid, facelift and nose procedures. The patient may lose the ability to have any facial expression. Some cosmetic surgery errors may not be possible to correct, such as the nose. Victims of cosmetic surgery malpractice may have to undergo several corrective surgeries over a long period of time. Not only do they suffer physical disfigurement and pain, they also suffer emotional agony and financial losses. Lack of self-esteem due to disfigurement can affect every aspect of their lives. Plastic surgeons have the same responsibility to their patients as any other physician practicing: to provide medical care or treatment to a prescribed level of competence. If you are a victim of a cosmetic surgical error, consult a medical malpractice attorney to learn about your rights to compensation. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.
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